Sunny days of September 2009

Gen and I tried Machida Squirrel Park again.

He really enjoyed feeding the small friends.

We went for Aihakawa Park and

Gen tried to say "hello" by touching each flower.

After that we went for Hattori Farm,

where we had a really "yummy" icecream!

Gen was so excited to see many farm animals like

goats, cows, sheep, horses, roosters, pigs and so on.

He is such an animal "lover"!

Sunflower Field

Sunflowers, sunflowers, sunflowers!!

Gen likes to walk around this sunflower field, which is just like a maze!

Kids had a lot of fun surrounded by so many sunflowers.

It was just so relaxing and energy-regaining.

Summer Festival 2009

The nearest shrine to our house holds its summer festival in the middle of August every year.

We can enjoy various foods and desserts at food stands, and especially kids enjoy some game stands. Gen was closely watching at goldfish scooping.

We had a lot of fun. Putting on yukata is one of my most favorite parts in visiting these summer festivals. Gen wears "jin-bei" for his traditional Japanese summer cloth.

The summer festivals in Japan usually relate to "shintoism." Our ancestors were thankful for Shito Gods for their harvest, and its spirit still continues to our present time.

Chippie's Park

Gen really likes animals, so we went for a chippie's park in Machida. I do not know why but there is a very huge tortoise, which walks relatively fast, that makes Gen "freeze"!!

But he loves to feed squarrels and had a lot of fun. He refused to leave the park!
It was such a wonderful time for Gen and me. This park is pretty small, but big enough for Gen to run around and have fun.

Harvest

Basils are growing so well. This is our second time to cook Genovase basil paste and enjoy pesto. The fragrance is richer than the ones we usually buy at a grocery.

Here comes a tomato! Very sweet and tastes so good. I hope Gen will like eating fresh vegetables right from our herb&vegetable garden, though he is such a picky eater now...

Gen's First ABC Chants

Although he doesn't say ABCs very clearly, he perfectly imitates the rhythm.

Star Festival

July 7th falls on "Tanabata" or "Star Festival" in Japan. There is a fairy tale for this Festival. It goes like this; Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful wife Orihime, who was really good at sewing, and a hard-working husband Hikoboshi, who was good at growing crops. They loved with each other so much, so they didn't do their work properly. The God got angry and gave them a punishment. They were torn apart by The Milkey Way, and were allowed to meet with each other only one time in a year. That is July 7th, Tanabata night.

On Tanabata night, we write our wish on a piece of paper, and place it on a bamboo tree together with some beautiful ornaments.

Here's what we wished for on Tanabata night. On a yellow strip, I wished for our family's healthy growth. On a blue strip, Gen wrote something he wanted to wish for.

May our wishes come true!

Happy Tanabata Night! (Star Festival!)